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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Emergency Preparedness

I have been thinking about this post for several days now and decided to go ahead and share what is on my heart! I wish I knew this stuff years ago!

All the recent news (and blog posts) about the power outages in the East/Midwest due to the windstorm has reminded me about the power outage we went thru here in the Pacific NW in January. We had a terrible ice storm that caused us to lose our power for 3+ days.

Not only was it off at my house, but it was also off at all 3 of my daughters homes too! Since our home is the only one with heat (from our wood-burning fireplace insert) and a generator-suddenly our 2-person empty nest ballooned to 9 people, including a 9 month pregnant mom-to be!

What really stands out in my mind was the challenge to feed 9 mouths 3 times everyday. I was either planning a meal, preparing a meal, eating, or cleaning up a meal all day! So, I vowed to become better prepared for emergencies and unexpected company. One of the ways I am becoming better prepared is by stocking up on freeze-dried and dehydrated foods. Foods that only need hot water to reconstitute and ready for meals!

Shelf Reliance has been my go-to company. DD#1 has become a consultant and I am hosting a cyber-party this month. She shared some thoughts about this subject below.

Are you interested in finding out more about non-perishable food that can help you become more prepared for unexpected emergencies, or job loss? Then check out www.shelfreliance.com for a great selection!

All the food products in our THRIVE line of food is made from the best quality ingredients and is made to last 8-25 years on the shelf! All you need to re-hydrate these dehydrated and freeze dried foods is water - that's it! They all taste great and some are perfect to eat without re-hydrating like the strawberry chips, pineapple chips, banana chips, apple chips and yogurt bites.

Have you ever heard of TVP? There is Beef TVP, Chicken TVP, Sausage TVP, etc. TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. Its a lean protein that is made out of soy and tastes just like the meat it represents. Its a healthier fat than animal fat, has more protein and is also cheaper than the Chicken or Beef dices. This is an excellent option for recipes that call for diced meat like casseroles or spagetti. Nobody will ever know the difference!

The other thing to make note of is the dehydrated vs. freeze dried foods. Dehydrated means they have applied heat to remove the moisture from the food. Freeze dried foods are flash frozen to remove the moisture. This process allows the food to retain most of their nutritional value and also allows them to be stored longer on the shelf. Freeze dried foods cost more than their dehydrated counterparts but you get a more nutritious product that will store longer on the shelf (up to 25 years!)

If you are on a budget you need the know about the monthly Q program. This is how we became customers! Q is a program that will allows you to choose to have food shipped to you in smaller orders each month. You select the day you would like it shipped, the amount of money to spend (i.e. $50 per month, $75 per month, etc) and which product you want sent every month. This is a great way to start building your food storage slowly month by month without busting your budget.

To order for Teresa's party, if you have any questions or would like to host a cyber-party of your own (and earn lots of free and half-off product), please look at the website and then email me at lesley.salmonson@yahoo.com or call 206-853-6221.

I am happy to take your order and answer any questions for you! Orders will be shipped directly to your house. I am offering a surprise free gift to the first 9 orders over $50!

I find this such a timely subject. I reviewed a book for my book club group about losing power grids as well as anything with electronics in it due to a EMP. These can actually be caused by some of the solar flares we've been experiences which we've heard about in the news where they reroute air traffic and can mess up our internet. So far they have not caused the loss of everything as we know it but could. I think being ready is a good idea. By the way my friend is vegetarian and she has used TVP for years. It is actually quite tasty as it takes on the flavors of what you cook it as. Thanks for sharing!